DAY 12: I GIVE UP... *GIVING UP TRYING A NEW HAIR COLOUR*

When it comes to my hair, I'm not that adventurous with colour. So this lent, me and the girls took the opportunity to experiment a little and go out of our comfort zones...

Personally, I wanted to go back to short but with a little more colour to brighten my spring.

Colour wise... I wasn't too sure, but I'm loving Cassie's and Keri's mix of blonde.

However, because I'm darker then the two beauties, I opted for a more darker, burnt tone

S.W. also is just as bad as me... we love to stick to what we know.... Black.... no matter the style. Its safe and reliable.

So for the sake of change... she joined in on the challenge too.

She went for a more subtle dark red tone - Burgundy

However, my camera is so crappy you can't see it in all its glory.

BUT I LOVE IT!!!!

Boo... brought out her big 'fro which I love.... and Bella (who isn't afraid of colour, nor anything else as a matter of fact) switched up her look with a cornrowed Mohawk to match her attitude... ILove!!!

The Secret!

Yesterday we resumed our 'Secret meetings" with our good friend, Rosa. Our secret meetings are based on the book "The Secret" by Rhonda Byrne, where you use the law of attraction to attract good things into your life. It's a great book and if you use it correctly, you could essentially achieve all you want to achieve! We have these meetings to talk about the book and what we want to achieve in our lives.

Yesterday's theme was forgiveness: how we need forgive others in order to move on! Because sometimes we think we have forgiven someone and then when you least expect e.g randomly bumping into that person all those feelings come flooding back, and you realise you haven't quite got over it! It's good to forgive because at the end of the day, the space you are using in your brain to remember these things could be put to something better and if you don't forgive whatever it is, it's essentially controlling you but you just haven't realised!

The second theme was urgency: how we have to make life a state of urgency! We are all guilty of thinking that "Oh it's ok if I don't do this today, there's always tommorrow" but how do you know of there is a tomorrow! We need to make things urgent and stop taking time for granted! We all know that if there's a deadline we are likely to do whatever it straightaway! So we should do the same with our lives. I love our meetings because they really make you think! All I know is that is I have a lot to achieve and I can't afford to let anything hold me back! Therefore I need to stop sleeping (literally), wake up and getting going!

I saw this badge yesterday too and I just LOVE IT! I need it in my life:

Diva xoxo

Day 11: I give up... GIVING UP *Get that tattoo*

So, it's almost a year that I have been thinking about whether or not I should get tattooed up... and finally the day came that I braved myself and just went ahead with it!

Last week, me and Bella went into to book my session, and managed to get a great deal out of it! hahah talk about blaggin' it.

Sometimes over-thinking can be helpful when it pushes you to take action and solve a problem. But if you are preoccupied with the “what ifs” and worst-case scenarios, your worry becomes a problem of its own. Doubts and fears are paralysing where by you get nowhere in life and end up going around in circles.

I tend to over-think a lot, and I can really and truly say that some of the things in my life which I haven't accomplished/done is due to my over thinking. It's really not about ''what ifs''.... More about JUST DO IT / DEAL WITH IT!

So here goes.... I give up... giving up just doing it... Get that tattoo lol (if that makes any sense at all)

xoxo

Day 10: I give up...GIVING UP! *Embrace the future*

Yesterday I got the timetable for my final year exams and it occurred to me this is finally it! Once I finish my exams, I will be entering the big, wide world! Even though I am as scared as hell, I'm also excited about what the future holds for me! God only knows where I will end up and what I will do, but all I know is that I'm free to do what I want, when I want and the opportunities are endless! We forget sometimes that anything is possible and we as humans are capable of a lot. We feel like we are powerless when it comes to our situations but circumstances can change like that *clicks fingers*. So next time when you feel like nothing ever happens, just remember that good things are coming your way! Embrace your future!

Diva xoxo

Day 9: I give up... GIVING UP *Be grateful*

I woke up this morning. I woke up in my house in my own bed, to sunshine and blue skies. Then I took a moment.

So many people woke up today in shanty towns or pallets next to people they've never met, with nothing more than the clothes on their backs and the breathe in their body and then there are those who didn't wake up today. I send a prayer out for them.

Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to KEEP; if I die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take.

The trivial things that usually plague my mind have been pushed back to accommodate for all the drama and tragedy in the world and as much as I am sad that the world has lost Nate dogg and today Elizabeth Taylor, a moment for those whose names and face we may never know. And as selfish as it may seem this is my time to be grateful for the small things and take advantage of my opportunities.

Peace,grease and blessings guys Xoxo Boo!

Day 8. I give up... GIVING UP! *Time OUT*

How much time do you spend with yourself doing nothing? sleeping doesn't count! I'm guessing not a lot and for a workaholic like me, 'not a lot' is an understatement. There's tons of reasons why I work like I do but this year I said to myself moaning was sooooooooooo last year! 2011 I do something about it so first step was to schedule a day off.. some time out just for me myself and I. These are what I found to be the perfect components of a time out session: LIE IN: Sleep is vital for a healthy body and mind. I recently learnt that as our sleep cycles are 90minutes long, if we sleep for at least 5 full cycles we will wake up feeling even more fabulous! So scrap your 8 hour sleep regime and try 7.5! I decided to have 9 hours .. pure bliss.. PAMPER: I don't think pampering should be considered a luxury. Make it regular and your body will thank you for it. I needed an all over tlc session. Took a trip to my local cosmetics store and picked up my favourite body scrub (soap and glory), face mask (garnier), hair conditioner (doo-gro) and spent a good hour or four in the bathroom doing what a girl does best. O and for all you animal print lovers .. this nail pain is a must! I think its the novelty of watching the paint crack before your eyes that does it for me. You paint a base colour of your choice apply the 'magic' nail paint on top and Barry M does the rest.. this is the end result. love it!
LET YOUR HAIR DOWN: who needs an energy drink, when you have fabulous friends! I am an only child and the majority of cousins, uncles etc I do have are all abroad so my girls are my family. Laughter & dancing heals all wounds in my book. So my head wasnt 100% the next day (blame it on the alcohol) but my soul was still laughing :D
ps. these nights are usually strictly girls only but as my cousin and her man were on holiday in London, he was the exception !
CHOCOLATE: I consumed a lot of food during my time out which was perhaps not the best idea given I am preparing to get back into my skinny jeans but the one ingredient I don't regret is chocolate. With all this pressure to be skinny and eat salads.. (really?!) its important to treat yourself and chocolate is good for you! I'm not talking the whole 500g thang but a few squares. GUILTY PLEASURES are a must ;)

DO NOTHING: ...not a thing, nada, just find a quiet place and relax. the sun was suprisingly out that day so I took a walk to nowhere and back. stepped out of my box and thought about me, my life, my goals, my fears, my blessings. I realised that as hard as I have been working to get ahead, who I am has been falling behind. The energetic, confident, fun, passionate, wild, kind, hilarious, sexy, intelligent, go getting, skillful young woman that I want to be will never fully form unless I invest time into her.

So I hereby give up giving up, time out for moi! Kisses..........

****SPRING WISH LIST****

Erdem's Spring Summer 2011 red lace dress /Top Shops Version

Bright / Bold coloured Blazer

Wedges... God's Gift to Txuna!

I Can't get enough of cigarette & chino Trousers

(Easy for work - No effort needed)

Drop Back Shirt

Buckle Loafers

Heeled Loafers

xoxo

Day 7: I give up...GIVING UP *Helping out more around the house*

I know I am not the best child in the world when it comes with helping out around in the house. So it's no surprise to me that my mum is always having a go at me.

Since starting the 9 to 5 routine, I've become even lazier when it comes to helping out at home; i.e. when I get home I'm too tired to rustle up anything in the kitchen for my younger siblings to eat (secretly waiting on mum to come home to do that) which ain't fair at all. If anything, she's probably be a little more tired than me.

So I've decided to chuck away my lazy side (& quick and easy food) and start helping out more in the house by cooking some more.... from scratch! :D

Today... I made some Curry Goat with Rice and Peas - Yum!

Sorry no photo of the end product...

I was so hungry I ate all the food before I realised I forgotten to take a pic, However it looked a little something like this...

Happy Monday!

xoxox

30 Day Skin Challenge: oil be gone

I'm cheap! Yeah I said it. I'm cheap and proud. So when I decided to do the 30 day skin challenge I had to dig deep down in my bag full of cheap tricks and tips. I'm going to share a few tips I use to balance out my skin. Hopefully it will help.

1. Like removes like.....

Do you remember that science lesson when you were told like removes like? Well Ms. Mendez was right. If you have excess oil then I suggest Oil Cleansing Method. You may have heard of it before. A method that uses 30% castor oil and 70% sunflower seed oil to cleanse the skin. You take a mixture of oils and massage it into the skin for a few minutes then steam your face for about ten minutes, wipe off any excess oil and use 50% Apple cider vinegar and 50% H20 as a toner and if your face isn't as smooth as a babies budunki then you can slap me twice and call me Cleatus.

2. Make up.... don't break out

The next tip for you oily girls out there may seem a lil strange, but work with me on this okay. So you want to put on your make up but you know by the time it hits 12 you are the shinest belle at the ball. So to stop that from happening get a bottle of Milk of Magnesia (hey I told you to work with me on this okay) shake the bottle up and put a little on a cotton pad and swipe it around your face, once dried put on your foundation as normal and see if your skin dares to even pretend its going to shine.

(Caution: I can testify to this with liquid foundation but use with powdered foundation at own risk......and get back to me on how it works)

3. Cassius Clay

Bentonite Clay is the bomb. Its a natural derived clay sometimes called volcanic clay absorbs oil at an amazing rate. If I have a little pimple that just won't leave I mix up a little Bentonite clay with milk ( lactic acid) Apple cider vinegar and an aspirin or two and boy does it get rid if those little pest. However you must be aware that aspirin is pure salicylic acid which makes the skin

Til next time extremely sensitive to sunlight so don't use it to often and use sunscreen if your going out in the daytime

Deuce Silly gooses x

Our 30 day skin challenge: Aspirin face masks

Perfect skin in a bottle: all due to a little white pill!

Since our hunt for perfect skin, I have been using aspirin A LOT. Not as medication but as a face mask. Aspirin is really the bees knees! I have used it with lemon juice, yogurt and with lemon, yogurt and honey. I have been creative lol. Since I have been using it I have realised my spots have reduced in size and my skin is soo soft, that when I wear makeup it sits on a lot better. When I say I have been using it a lot though, I mean every other day because apparently if you use it too much, you'll no longer see it's effects. I would definitely recommend it, I even have my brother using it to treat his acne and it's only 19p at Tesco! I don't know what more I could say to convince you...JUST TRY IT! Diva xoxx

Our 30 day skin challenge: The hunt for perfect skin!

Last week Friday, I paid Boo! Coco a visit as I refer to her as my "witch doctor". This is because she has the answers to anything beauty or health related and she likes to do it the natural way!

So it was only fitting that I had to visit her to get her expert advice on how to get improve my skin. I told her my problems; how I wanted clear skin, to eliminate my blackheads and fade dark marks and she suggested that I get....

• Aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid) which is converted to salicylic acid and is in found in most face washes as it effectively exfoliates the skin.

• Biocarbonate of soda- also good at exfoliating the skin.

• Lemon- to fade the dark marks.

• Apple cider vinegar- to get rid of blackheads.

• Grapeseed oil- to combat oily skin.

• Yogurt/milk- they contain lactic acid so they are good for removing dead skin cells.

So we went armed with our list to Tesco. Yes Tesco! I forgot to say Boo! likes to do things the natural and also cheap way lol. So off we went to Tesco with our shopping list. Looking for juicy lemons! Shopping in Tesco. Here's what we got... In total, I spent £2.02! I also got face pads but unfortunately they didn't have either grapeseed oil or cider vinegar so we headed to the 99p shop, thinking we might find some there and instead we found Witch pore strips and a facemask containing jasmine and green tea (jasmine and green tea are good for the skin because they calm it). All for 99p each! So in total, I spent, wait for it... £3.99! £3.99 in total on skincare! You can't even get a face-wash for that much these days! Diva xoxo

Day 6. Reflection *Love thy neighbour*

Sometimes it can feel we are alone in this world. We become so preoccupied with our everyday lives: our jobs, family, friends etc until something drastic happens that makes us realise that it's not just all about us! For example, the recent earthquake and tsunami in Japan literally shook us awake! And it's at times like this, we forget about ourselves and come together as one big community to help those in need. We "love thy neighbour as thyself" (Romans 13: 8-10). Sometimes as much as we think we are capable of doing things ourselves, we do need the help of others. I know I couldn't have gone through the most difficult times in my life without the love and support of my family and friends and people who were just willing to help, who didn't have to but wanted to. However it shouldn't just be in difficult times. We should be there for each other no matter what!

Diva xoxo

Day 5. I give up giving up * Appreciate my skills*

I am in essence a Jackie of all trades.... need you hair did? Your nails did? (Everything did lol) or do you need your wedding planned? Or a brand new one of a kind outfit? Or do you at just want a favour? To often I dish these skills out for free and I don't mind but too often the favour is not returned. Being a firm believer in giving for the sake of giving but on my lenten journey, I've been reading the Zahir by Paulo Coelho and have come across the idea of the favour bank. The idea is that you selectively give out favours safe in the knowledge that one day your favour will be returned. Although this may seem selfish to some I believe that its fair and by placing value on my skills I give my self permission to feel appreciated and gain a sense of value. So I hereby give up giving up appreciating my skills

Day 4. I give up...GIVING UP *Make someone's day*

We as beings can some times be very selfish and not altruistic.

It doesn't take much to make someones day. Something as simple as a smiling to a stranger can do wonders and have an effect on that persons day... maybe even their life.

Just the other day, I got a email from a client expressing how much he values the work I did on his case (however small it was) and that he will never forget that.

Not only did it make me proud to think that my work has that kind of effect on people, it also made me think about how I can incorporate this in my daily life.

Making someone smile and brightening up their day is the most generous thing anyone can do as this can have a ripple affect on them.

side note: It's also healthy!!!

"If you smile at someone and make them smile you are actively causing chemicals to be released in to your body that battle stress and cause feelings of joy."

So today and every other day I give up my selfish needs and wants in order to give you the gift of my smile and make your day!

Happy Sunday

Txuna

xoxo

Day 3. Reflection *Love yourself!*

Sometimes we can be our own worst enemy! Beating ourselves up and blaming ourselves for things that are beyond our control, when really we need to be gentle with ourselves and love ourselves just the way we are! To love yourself is to acknowledge your worth, to be yourself and be true to you! In a world where people strive for perfection it's easy to forget to do this and lose ourselves. We try to fit in but we forget we are all different, with our little quirks and flaws that make us unique and stand out. Quirks we should embrace as they make us beautiful! So, OK I may not be the smartest or the most prettiest person but I am ME and this is the reason I LOVE MYSELF! The relationship we have with ourselves is the most important relationship we'll ever have! Unlike other relationships, you depend on YOU and so you should never let yourself down! And if you don't love you, how can you expect anyone else to! You set your standards and establish your worth by loving yourself! So if there's one relationship worth investing in, let it the one with yourself!

Diva xoxo